Isaac ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909)
Selections from 'Iberia': Evocación [5:32]; El Albaicín [7:13]; Rondeńa [7:05];
Triana [5:27]
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Variations Sérieuses, op.54 [11:23]
Fryderyk CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Piano Sonata no.3 in B minor, op.58 [27:02]
Matthew Bengtson (piano)
rec. Rose Recital Hall, University of Pennsylvania, no date given. DDD
ROMEO RECORDS 7280 [63:42] 
This is US pianist Matthew Bengtson's fifth solo CD, though his first appearance
in these review pages. Bengtson has a huge repertoire, ranging from William
Byrd to György Ligeti's Etudes, covering pretty much everything in
between, though with an overwhelming emphasis on works for solo piano. He
also plays the harpsichord, and details of his very latest disc on Arabesque
of Baroque music can be found here.
His virtuosic programme opens with four selections from Isaac Albéniz's massive
masterpiece, Iberia, one of the most demanding works in the repertoire
- even Albéniz wondered at the playability of some of the pieces. Books III
and IV in particular demand outstanding virtuosity. El Albaicín is
one such piece, a passionate, harmonically exotic account of the Gypsy quarter
of Granada, but Bengtson is easily equal to it. There are more Gypsy elements
in Triana, which, like Rondeńa, comes from Book II. Triana
begins deceptively straightforwardly, but soon the swirling notes and polyrhythms
begin to pile pressure on the pianist - yet Bengtson does not even break into
a sweat. Rondeńa starts off a bright, cheerful piece, depicting the
mountainous city of Ronda in blue-skied Andalusia. There is a short, reflective
episode, suggestive perhaps of a siesta, before the upbeat, dance-like theme
returns, with further embellishment and tone colour. >From the very first
notes, the aptly named Evocación, the opening section itself of Iberia,
atmospherically conjures up the lazy, hazy landscapes of sun-soaked
Spain, which Bengtson paints with graphic brilliance.
The Variations Sérieuses op.54 were Mendelssohn's contribution to a
fundraising drive by his publisher for a statue in Beethoven's honour in Bonn.
This is another virtuosic work, and rightly one of Mendelssohn's most popular
among pianists - there are literally dozens of recordings already available.
Written in D minor, and with a pervasive hymn-like solemnity not typical of
Mendelssohn, there are 17 short variations in all, many requiring a heroic
attention to dense detail and fingers that move close to the speed of light
- Bengtson has both of these. A breathtaking work, and an excellent account
of it.
Bengtson closes his recital with Chopin's Sonata in B minor, op.58.
So many pianists have recorded this over the years that any attempt at comparison
would be hopelessly subjective and ultimately futile. Suffice to say that
this is a fine version in its own right. Bengtson does not always follow the
score in the closest of detail - in particular, his dynamics are sometimes
approximations, as occasionally are his tempi. But these are artistic decisions
that often enhance his marvellous sense of phrase, and they in no way detract
from the sheer poetry of either Chopin's or Bengtson's pianism. The rousing,
spectacularly virtuosic Finale is particularly superbly played by Bengtson,
without the merest hint of trepidation.
Sound quality is very good, both from a technical point of view and in the
Steinway D itself. In the third movement of the Chopin at 3'16 there is a
second or two of what sounds like sheet metal vibrating against metal, and
there is a sense throughout this section and occasionally elsewhere that someone
is trying to shuffle about quietly in the background, but it is only the smallest
of distractions. It is nice to find a booklet not filled with narcissistic
full-page colour photos of performers at the expense of real information about
them and, more importantly, about the music.
The heading of the biographical notes misspells Bengtson's Scandinavian name
'Bengston', something he probably encounters with some frequency. The back
cover also erroneously gives Chopin's birth year as 1819, a mistake repeated
on the track-listing inside the booklet.
From his interests in chess, mathematics, logic, philosophy and languages,
Matthew Bengtson appears something of a polymath. Certainly this is a very
intelligent recital, imaginative and analytical in equal measure.
Byzantion
A very intelligent recital, imaginative and analytical in equal measure.